The Indian women’s hockey team produced a dominant display to defeat hosts New Zealand 2-0 in the final of the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup New Zealand 2025-26 in Auckland on Sunday, securing the prestigious title and earning promotion back to the FIH Pro League.
India took an early lead in the fourth minute when Navneet Kaur converted a penalty corner with a powerful strike. The team doubled its advantage in the 15th minute as Sunelita Toppo expertly deflected a shot from Deepika into the net, giving India a commanding 2-0 lead.
Despite sustained pressure from New Zealand in the second half, India maintained a disciplined defensive structure. Goalkeeper Savita made crucial saves, including an important penalty corner stop in the final quarter, helping the team preserve the clean sheet and secure victory.
The triumph capped an unbeaten tournament for India. The team defeated the United States (3-2), Japan (2-1) and Uruguay (3-2) in the group stage before thrashing Chile 6-0 in the semifinal.
This is India’s Second Women’s Nations Cup title, having also won the inaugural edition in 2022. The victory guarantees India’s return to the elite FIH Women’s Pro League next season. Lalremsiami was named Player of the Match in the final, while Deepika finished as the tournament’s joint top scorer with six goals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team, saying the players had brought pride and joy to the nation. He praised their outstanding performances throughout the tournament and expressed hope that the achievement would inspire more young Indians to take up hockey.
